This invention relates to the container sealing art and more particularly to an improved cap feed chute used for feeding closure caps onto the tops of moving containers. An improved stop mechanism is activated by the endmost cap in the chute to provide for a positive stop action on the next cap in line.
Wide spread use is made of cap feeding systems in container sealing machines where the caps are fed under pressure from a cap feeding hopper or other feeder through a chute so that the endmost cap in the chute is picked up by a container being carried beneath the chute. Prior chutes have employed a variety of friction stops or spring detents or the like to hold the end cap within the chute at the container engaging position. Steadily increasing operating speeds for such automatic sealing machines have required greatly increased cap feeding rates with a corresponding increase in cap feed pressure and cap momentum. This, in turn, has resulted in increased difficulty in properly positioning the lowermost cap for correctly engaging a moving container. It has also occasionally resulted in a partial or full feeding of a cap even in the absence of a container.
The improved chute end in accordance with the present invention provides a cap operated positive stop and cap positioning means overcoming these objections. As will be described below, the stop has a positive latching or gate action controlled by the movement of the endmost cap within the cap chute so that its operation is fully synchronized with the movement of the containers being carried beneath the cap chute.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved cap chute for container sealing machines.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved cap chute end having a positive cap stop and cap locator.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved cap feed chute end with a positive cap stop operated by the moving caps.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a positive cap stop for a cap feeding chute which is relatively simple and reliable.
Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.